Improvement in rakes for harvesters



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

0. H. BUR-DICK.

Harvester Rake.

Patented Jue 7, 1864.

f Y 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.l 0 H. BURDICK.

Harvester Rake.

140,413,007. v"Patented June 7; 1364,

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UNITED STATES PATENT QFEICE.

O. H. BURDIGK, OF AUBURN, NEW YORK.

AlIVIPROVEIVlENT lN RAKES FOR HARVESTERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 43,007, dated June 7, 1864.

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, 0. H. BURDICK, of Auburn, in the county7 of Cayuga and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rakes for Harvesting- Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, mahing a part of this specification, in which- Figure l represents in perspective so much of the platform and cutting mechanism of a harvesting-machine as will illustrate the operation of my rake in connection therewith. Fig. 2 represents a top plan of the rake mechanism, and on an enlarged scale; and Fig. 3 represents a section through the trigger or tripping mechanism, taken at the red line ,fr

of Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference, where they occur in the separate gures, denote like parts of the apparatus in all cases.

My invention relates, first, to a spring or its equivalent for holding the rake to its work while sweeping the platform, and releasing the rake when it is heilig raised up to return for the next operation.

It further relates to the arrangement of two cams-one on the gear-wheel and the other on the rake-plate-for the purpose of giving the rake its rising and falling motion.

1t further relates to the construction of a rake-plate having a cam and slot upon it, and an adjustment for the rake on the rake-plate, so that the sweep of the rake may be changed without changing the sweep ofthe rake-plate; and, inally,it relates to atripping mechanism by which the rake is thrown into gear by the operator after it has thrown itself out of gear at the end of its sweep or over its deliverypoint.

'Io enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention,I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings.

On a standard or post, A, arranged on the main-frame end of the Enger-bar B, or in a line therewith, is placeda horizontal bevelgear, C, with which a bevel-pinion, D, on a shaft, E, works, said shaft receiving its motion from the main drive-wheel by any of the known mechanical appliances, and supported and turning in a box or bearing, a., on an arm, b, projecting from the standard or postA, and in a runner, shoe, or `bent-up piece. F, connected to the linger-bar or to the main frame. The bevel-gear G carries on its face a cam, c, and a guide-pin, d, for a purpose to be presently described.

An upright short post,c,isafiixed to an arm, f, projecting from the standard A, to which is hinged at g a rake-plate, Gr, and to this arm fis also connected a stationary cam", h, that expands and contracts a spring, H, for holding and releasing the hinged rake I at suitable and proper intervals during its traversing movement.

The rake-plate G, to which the rake I is connected,has adjusting-holes l 2 3 init, by which the rake may he set more toward or from the cutting-line without changing the plate itself, which is essential, inasmuch as the plate has other duties to perform which do not admit of a change in its position without complication of its parts. The rake-plate, moreover, has connected to or with it a long slot, i, through which the pin d traverses, a cam, LI, against and with which the cam o works for raising and lowering thc rake, atail-piece,j, for working a spring-bolt, It, to disconnect the clutchl on the shaft D, and thus throw the rake out of motion, and a guide-piece,m, through which the sliding piece a worksto compress or relax the spring H, said sliding piece a Working against the face of the stationary cam h for that purpose.

In the box J is placed the bolt L, by which the clutch l is thrown out of and into connection at the will of the driver or operator to stop, start, or keep in constant motion the rake. This bolt k is forced out by a spring, o, behind it, and it has an opening, p, through it, which receives the clutch-rod q when in a certain position, and the clutch-rod is not restrained by the driver or conductor and only affected by its spring 1^, as willbe explained in the operation of the rake.

The spring H is fastened at its heels to the rake-head I, while its point trestsin the piece n and rises and falls with said piece as it in turn is influenced by the cam la The clutch rod or shaft q has upon ita footpiece, u. which the driver or conductor from his seat may easily reach and control by his foot for convenience, but may be as readily arranged to be operated by his hand.

rlhe operation of the rake is as follows: Supposing the rake to be in the position shown in the drawings, which is over the delivery-point of the gavel just swept off, and to be in a state of rest as it disconnects .itself from the driving-gear at this point, the driver or conductor with his foot presses against the piece u,which throws in the clutch Z, and the rake in its raised or elevated position immediately commences To swing around toward the front of the platform, and in doing so the piece u raises upon the cam 7i, carrying up with it the point t of the spring H, and correspondingly causing said spring to press or throw the rake down upon the platform; but the cams c 4being in contact, the rake cannot fall any faster than the slopes of these cams will allow until the cam c has passed out from under the cam 4, when the spring H, having then its full tension, (as the piece a has reached the highest point of the cam 7L,) forces and holds down the rake to the platform until it reaches to near the end of its sweep. By this time the piece n' has run down on its cam, relaxing the spring H, and the cam c, having come around, takes against the cam 4 on the rake-plate G, and raises up the rake for the next return motion. 1t' the rake is to rest after each traverse of the platform to allow sufficient grain to gather to make agavel, it is only necessary for the operator to i remove his foot from the piece u, and then the tail-piecej, when the rake has arrived at or near the end of its traverse, comes against the bolt 70,pushing it into its box J until the openingp comes opposite to the clutch rod or shaft q, when the spring o' immediately shoots it into said opening, disconnecting the clutch Z, and the rake stands atrest untilthe driver presses against the piece u, when it immediately starts again. It' the rake is to run constantly, the

driver should keep his foot pressed against the piece u or fasten the clutch in gear. It' the pressure of the spring H were uniform and continuous, it would require considerable power to raise up the rake against its resistance. I avoid this by making the spring an acting a-nd non-acting medium at intervals. When a single cam is used on the gear-wheel to'raise up and let down the rake it is invariably done with a blow or jar, which is very injurious to the rake; but by using the two cams-that is to say, one cam on the gear-wheel and one on the rake-plate-the motion is easy and without `iar. v

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with a rising and falling rake,a spring that is mechanically compressed and relaxed to hold the rake to the platform and to release it when it is to be raised up, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the cam and pin c d on the gear C with the cam and slot 4t'on the rake-plate for procuring an easy traverse and rising and falling motion to the rake, as described.

3. A rake-plate constructed with a cam, a slot, and an adjustment for the rake, so that while the rake may be set more toward or from the grain the cam and slot may continue to work with their co-operative parts without interruption, substantially as described.

4. In combination with a clutch, the spring bolt la and the tail-piece j, so that the rake may throw itself out of action at the end of every stroke or be continued in action at the will of the driver or conductor, substantially as described.

O. H. BURDIUK.

Witnesses:

J. H. OsBoRNE, D. M. OsBoRNE. 

